London's best charity shops: stylish spoils and sweet charity

A lot of people think charity shops are dirty, dingy, disorganised places where dead people’s clothes are sold. And often they’re right. But dismiss them altogether and you’ll miss out. As the recession continues to affect the country, more and more shoppers are looking to charity shops. In turn, these shops have come to realise they’re now in genuine competition with the high street, and they have upped their retail game accordingly. If you know where to go, you can find unique designer or vintage pieces for a fraction of their original price, or even brand new clothes in pristine condition.

Store interiors have improved too, and many are now bright, breezy and bustling rather than dark, dank and depressing. It’s turned out to be one of the more consoling success stories to emerge during these straitened times. The United Kingdom’s charity shops now receive £670m in revenues per annum, and their profits have risen by 12 per cent in the last year. That’s good news for the causes the shops support, be they cancer research, children’s hospices or animal charities. There are hundreds of charity shops spread across London, but, handily, some of the best lie in clusters near suburban shopping districts. Pick a Tube stop and start bargain hunting.

A good way to find the best charity shops is to head to the most affluent residential areas. A stone’s throw from the ridiculously upmarket Eaton Square (it’s quoted as prime real estate in Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities, no less), well-positioned, well-heeled Pimlico locals won’t think twice about chucking out sack loads of bespoke suits or handmade Italian shoes to make way for their new-season spoils. It’s not unusual to find Chanel ballet pumps, Balmain suits and DKNY knitwear on the rails round these parts. Nearer to the Victoria Station end of Pimlico, you’ll find Sue Ryder Cancer Care, Hospices of Hope, Oxfam shops on Warwick Way and Fara on Tachbrook Street. Best of the lot, though, is Trinity Hospice on Wilton Road, which seems to have an endless supply of vintage cocktail dresses (usually less than £20) and aged-to-perfection Barbour jackets for £30 to £40.

Oxford Circus This is possibly London’s best-kept shopping secret, and one I learned about through a friend who works in fashion. The Salvation Army store at 9 Princes Street, W1, is something of an urban charity-shop legend, as it’s located just around the corner from the office of Vogue on Hanover Square. This is reportedly the place where the magazine’s staff take all their unwanted clothes – and you can imagine what their wardrobes are like. That’s why you’ll find Escada and Frank Usher trouser suits (plus the occasional pair of Prada shoes) mixed in with stylish high-street brands like Mango, Zara and Uniqlo. It’s more like a vintage boutique than a neighbourhood charity shop, stocked with a wide variety of clothing in good condition and with knowledgeable, helpful staff on hand to advise you. Prices reflect the central London location but are still very good value: a pair of nearly new ‘80s leather boots will set you back £30, for example. If you’re new to charity shops this is a great place to start; pop in next time hectic, homogenous Oxford Street proves too much.

On a leafy avenue in Highgate, a string of lavish mansions are said to be among the most expensive homes in all of London. That might explain why the neighbourhood’s charity shops are populated with clothing from the likes of Hugo Boss and Nicole Farhi. Walking onto Archway Road from Highgate Tube station you can’t miss the RSPCA shop – look for the shop front finished in blazing yellow and with a huge sign proclaiming: ‘Neutering stops AIDS in cats and dogs.’ Unintentionally comical multipurpose signage aside, there are some great designer cast-offs to be found within. Next door is Mind, which is especially good for men and women’s outerwear and has a book shop attached. Further down the road, the Green Room (which serves an environmental charity) secrets vintage and costume jewellery between piles of precariously balanced books. Shimmering, one-off vintage pieces can be picked up here for less than a fiver apiece. Up the hill on Highgate High Street, the bounty available is even more desirable. The Cancer Research and Oxfam shops have something of a monopoly on women’s designer dresses and shoes, but, wise to their discerning clientele, they price accordingly. While you can expect to spend a bit more here than elsewhere, goods are still a steal compared to their original prices. On my visit I spotted an immaculate vintage Yves Saint Laurent blazer on sale for £45.

Holloway Road

Stop off at Scope's Holloway Road shop for a clash of '80s sportswear, sequins and faux fur. Photo: S&TS

A walk down the hill from Highgate brings you to the slightly less salubrious selection of charity shops around Holloway Road. Since the area isn’t quite as desirable, to put it politely, there aren’t as many designer names on the racks. On the other hand, this is where the real bargains are to be had – where else could you find a COS dress for £4 or an ASOS top for £6? Dalstonite boys looking for ‘80s sportswear should go to Sense and Scope on Seven Sisters Road; girls can visit both shops for sequins and faux furs that might be deemed too ‘creative’ outside of east London. The British Heart Foundation on Holloway Road itself has a vast selection of handbags and shoes, mostly for less than a tenner. If you’re willing to do a bit of searching, these shops can turn up some real finds.

Clapham

Shirts from Jaeger and Thomas Pink come in at £10 at Clapham's Trinity Hospice. Photo: S&TS

There’s a glut of charity shops in Clapham. By Clapham Junction you can visit the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research shops, while there’s a nifty trio of stores near Clapham Common station. Trinity Hospice is great for women’s coats and men’s workwear (look out for Thomas Pink and Jaeger shirts for £10) and, if knitting is your thing, there’s a whole wall of wool to choose from. Just down the road, the contents of Age UK reflect the tastes of the young professionals who live in the area. There seems to be one of each H&M minidress made in the last five years on the rails. It also stocks some brand new homeware, like cushions and candles, with their original prices heavily discounted. Further down the road, the Save the Children shop is truly something to behold. Huge, sprawling, and rammed with old luggage, soft furnishings and sporting equipment, it’s like a giant junk shop. Clearly, visual merchandising isn’t a strong point here, but amidst all the mayhem there are some real steals to be found, like £1 belts and £5 blazers, unworn ‘80s high heels and vintage handbags. Roll up your sleeves, get stuck in and see what treasures you can unearth in between the badminton rackets and broken suitcases. During this time of austerity, a little perseverance could yield great returns.

Katie is a retail head office nine-to-fiver by day and a fashion writer and editor of the Style and Then Some blog at night. The blog is written by four London-dwelling girls and covers fashion and culture, with a focus on what's going on in the capital. You can follow S&TS on Twitter @Style_thensome